The present invention generally relates to luggage and more particularly relates to odor-controlling luggage and even more particularly relates to a scent bag for protecting garments worn by hunters from absorbing undesirable odors. Various hunters, especially hunters of large mammals having well developed olfactory senses, are concerned about odors that might be emitted by the clothing they wear during hunting. Special care is taken to rid these clothes from odors normally associated with humans and other sources of odors not typically found in nature; e.g. special scent-free detergents are used to wash the clothing of the hunter, as well as adding a natural additional scent to emit a desirable (non-human) odor to cover up the remaining human and unnatural odors.
While these approaches have been used in the past to assist hunters in odor control, they often have difficulty transporting their scent free or scented clothing while traveling. Frequently, hunters have used large tightly sealing plastic bags (often called zip-lock bags having zip-lock seals which are typically a sliding sealer of a ridge on one side fitting into a resilient trough on the opposing side), other hunters have used garbage bags or normal garment bags. Each of these approaches has some drawbacks. Often, the plastic bags, the garment bags and the garbage bags have their own undesirable odor associated with them. For example, it is difficult to rid a typical garment bag of odors that it may have acquired from previous uses. Also, it is difficult to wash any odors from a garbage bag. The plastic bags and the garbage bags are often punctured when they are handled during transportation. Additionally, such garment bags can allow penetration of odors through zippers and other openings, especially if the bag is carried in the trunk compartment of an automobile where numerous offensive odors may be present.
Consequently, there exists a need for an improved bag for transporting scented and scent-free clothing for hunters which overcomes these difficulties.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an odor-controlling garment bag.
It is a feature of the present invention to include multiple zipper closures to prevent and restrict airflow into and out of the bag.
It is an advantage of the present invention to provide easy access in and out of the bag while allowing for much restricted airflow through the openings in which clothing can be inserted.
It is another feature of the present invention to include a vapor barrier disposed inside the bag for restricting airflow through the material from which the bag is made.
It is another advantage of the present invention to provide for durable material to be used as the primary structural material of the bag while incorporating a vapor barrier to prevent and restrict airflow and transmission of odors.
The present invention is a method and apparatus which is designed to satisfy the aforementioned needs, provide the previously stated objects, include the above-listed features, and achieve the already articulated advantages. In the present invention, the transmission of odors from a garment disposed inside a bag is reduced.
Accordingly, the present invention is a method and apparatus for transporting a scent-free or scent-controlled garment in a bag which restricts the transfer of odors to and from the contents of the bag through use of serial zipper enclosures and further including a vapor barrier.